The objectives of conducting research are to identify capabilities, opportunities and needs; understand models and best practices for promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship and key success factors in social impact assessment / corporate governance, etc. The research findings will help identify social issues and facilitate the formulation of strategies and solutions.
The SIE Fund will directly fund research projects. We welcome the community to lodge proposals to the Task Force Secretariat. Interested parties may refer to "Notes to Applicants - Submission of Capacity Building/Research Proposals" for details about submission and assessment of proposals. A list of research projects funded by the SIE Fund is as follows:
Research
Building the New Normal with Stakeholders
Through looking into the global trends and local situation in practicing stakeholder capitalism, the project launched by Hong Kong Social Entrepreneurship Forum Limited explores how local business, especially small and medium enterprises, can build the new normal with stakeholders under the business for good framework. The project will formulate concrete recommendations and draw up a practical guide to facilitate local businesses on “HOW” to tackle the challenges and seize the post-pandemic opportunities by adopting stakeholder capitalism. Read more
Understanding the Motivations
for Business to Create Shared Value
Launched by Hong Kong Social Entrepreneurship Forum Limited in July 2019, the project aims to identify the push and pull factors for businesses to transform from profit maximisation to “business for good” through adopting Shared Value, as well as create the community demand for “business for good” in Hong Kong. The project also aimed to recommend concrete steps to foster the development of “business for good” amongst Hong Kong businesses. Major beneficiaries of the research include different sizes of local businesses and their staff, as well as members of the public benefiting from the corporate strategy of Shared Value. Read more
BRICKS stands for Building Research Innovation for Community Knowledge and Sustainability, which is a one-year pilot project launched by the British Council in August 2018. Its objective is to find innovative solutions to social challenges in Hong Kong by building the capacity of the social innovation research community; fostering collaboration among higher education institutes, practitioners in the civic and business communities and other organisations working at the frontline of social service delivery; and facilitate the development of research projects which will link up the city’s academics with the beneficiary groups. The project is managed by a consortium of organisations led by the British Council and comprising Professor Alex Nicholls from the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford, the Social Innovation Exchange and the Good Lab. Read more
The SIE Fund supports The Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Education University of Hong Kong to conduct applied research projects. Results of these projects will help promote social inclusion and enable beneficiaries, including persons with mild neurocognitive disorder, stroke patients, elderly, students and women of diverse race, persons with hearing, visual or speech impairment and autistic children, to overcome hurdles in daily living. Read more
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service was engaged to conduct the study which aimed to collect the views of stakeholders of the gerontechnology sector, enhance their understanding of the landscape of gerontechnology, and stimulate discussions as to how to make use of innovation and technology to meet the current and future demand for elderly care and to tap the new opportunities. Read more
The research project, conducted by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has examined some 200 local and overseas social innovation ventures to explore the best practices in social innovation development. It is expected that its findings will provide valuable references for Hong Kong and help inspire more innovative solutions. Video presentation of the research findings is available here. Read more
With the support of the Collective Impact platform, Zubin Foundation conducted a half-year research project in 2017 on the needs of kindergartens in teaching non-Chinese speaking students. The professional views and experience of the teachers were collected to help formulate suitable measures of intervention in future. Read more
Conducted by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and commenced in March 2016, the Study examines the Fund's overall performance in terms of both financial and non-financial impacts, the impact of intermediaries and of projects and initiatives funded or supported by the Fund. In April 2021, the Fund commissioned HKU to conduct the “Second Evaluation Study of the SIE Fund”. Following on from the research period covered by the First Evaluation Study, the Second Evaluation Study further examines the overall performance of the Fund, the impact of intermediaries as well as projects and initiatives funded or supported by the Fund on a longitudinal basis during the period from July 2020 to December 2023. It will also come up with recommendations of improvements at all levels. Read more about the First Evaluation Study and the Second Evaluation Study